The U.S. World Cup team began to take shape Monday when coach Jurgen Klinsmann named a provisional 30-player roster that will open camp this week at Stanford.

Included are Earthquakes stars Chris Wondolowski and Clarence Goodson, who will join American standouts Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard for two-plus weeks of training that begins Wednesday.

Left off the team was forward Eddie Johnson, who helped the United States qualify for the World Cup that opens next month in Brazil.

Klinsmann must submit the final 23-player roster by June 2.

"The clock is ticking," Klinsmann said Monday in a teleconference. "It has been quite a process over the last 2½ or three years."

San Jose Earthquakes' Clarence Goodson questions a call in the first half at Buckshaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Saturday, May 10, 2014. (Jim Gensheimer/Bay Area News Group)
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Jim Gensheimer
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The former German World Cup star said the evaluations will be detailed over the next three weeks at Stanford. Camp will end with the United States playing Azerbaijan on May 27 at Candlestick Park.

American coaches included 14 Major League Soccer players on the roster. The Seattle Sounders had three players picked, while the Los Angeles Galaxy, Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City had two like San Jose.

Other stars in camp include Jozy Altidore of Sunderland of the English Premier League and Terrence Boyd of Rapid Vienna.

"This is my opinion," Klinsmann said of the roster. "I know every coach would name a different 30-man roster. I understand people from the outside see it differently."

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American soccer fans will be watching closely as Klinsmann evaluates so-called bubble players.

"The good thing now we can see them every day," Klinsmann said. "We can see them compete against each other. We get a feel for the chemistry."

Wondolowski, 31, is considered one of those with an outside chance among the six strikers in camp. The Danville native is used to long shots, having come out of Chico State after being overlooked by Division 1 colleges. He got drafted by the Quakes in the supplemental draft and was fifth on the depth chart five years ago when everything changed.

In the last four years, Wondolowski has been the most prolific American goal scorer, with 84 goals in 150 games. He led MLS in goals in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Wondo was named the league's Most Valuable Player in 2012 after tying the MLS record for goals in a single-season with 27.

"You give him a 1 percent chance, he wants to make it 100 percent," Klinsmann said.

The De La Salle High alum has scored nine goals in his past 10 appearances with the U.S. national team. He also is San Jose's leading scorer this season with five goals.

"His personality doesn't have to change anything," Klinsmann said of the next three weeks. "Wondo comes in and gives you everything he has. He knows now what he is doing day in and day out. He has built his own case; he builds it stronger and stronger."

Goodson, 31, has 46 appearances with the U.S. team, and is a veteran of the 2010 World Cup. The Quakes defender is expected to contend as a starting center back.

Klinsmann hopes his staff can help players such as Altidore make big improvements over the next month. He is trying to get the Americans to peak heading into a difficult group in Brazil.

The United States is drawn into Group G with Ghana, Portugal and Germany. The Americans open the tournament June 16 against Ghana in Natal.

"The next two weeks is about the form they are in," Klinsmann said. "It's a daily competition. ... The good thing is we can see it every day. It's a lot about timing. Now they have to show it."